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1N Thursday, November 19, 1987 Weber State College Vol. 48 No. 16 889t Til ImKt fc, VXJ- 1 100 YEARS ! 1 Harris computer to be replaced Harold Davis Asst. News Editor The Harris computer will be scrapped on December 31 of this year and replaced by the new VAX 8700. The new VAX system is replacing the Harris and the administration's DEC 20 system with a single mainframe computer. Eric Jacobsen, of Weber's Computing Services, says the replacement system cost, $426,400,.is being funded by the computer surcharge on student fees. The cost includes purchase of upgrades for the new system, compatible terminals, new VAX software, and personal computers for areas not supported by the VAX. Personnel needed to convert software and to train users is also included. The VAX "is going to be better than the Harris. It's already better than .the Harris." said Jacobsen. The VAX will support various functions of the computer science and computer information departments and the School of Technology. Statistics work for the Schools of Social Science and Natural Science, and all the administration's computer work will also be done on the VAX. "About 50 percent of the administration's work load is on the VAX currently." said Jacobsen. The rest of the load will be added in six to nine months. According to Jacobsen, this will leave Weber with only two mainframes on campus thus saving maintenance costs. The other mainframe is the Sperry system used by the library. , :4 l : . ' - - i . , J I ) , . r A collection of 30 plus head and shoulder mounts and other various artifacts for animal ecology education was donated to the college by William and Anne Dodgson, valued in excess of $200,000. (Signpost photo: Judd Bundy) Bill would limit grants to underclassmen, loans to government upperclassmen WASHINGTON, D.C. (CPS) -- If a bill introduced last week by an influential legislator from Michigan is passed by Congress, only freshmen and sophomores will be able to get Pell Grants. Under that same bill, only juniors and seniors would qualify for Guaranteed Student Loans in the future. Rep. Bill Ford (D-Mich.), an influential member of the House education committee, explained he thought the bill, introduced Nov. 3, would help minimize student loan defaults and help low-income students finance college. "The bill is an attempt to kill two birds with one stone," said Tom Wolanin, a Ford aide. "It deals with both the problems of equality and defaults." Ford's measure, if passed, would prohibit first-and second-year college students from receiving GSLs. (see GRANTS on page 2) News Opinion Letters Signature page 2 page4 page 5 page 6 Entertainment page 8 Sports page 9 Fashions for the future See page 8 r-isr j-'V - Wildcats trounce foe See page 10 T.V. cameras allowed in Utah Supreme Court Lanny Desmond Staff Reporter The Utah State Supreme Court has approved a one-year extension allowing tv cameras to cover proceedings. Rosemary Gacnik, spokeswoman for the State Court Administrators Office, said general consensus in the department and court was that the previous year trial period was not enough time to conclude the issue, hence the extension. Gacnik stated that the next year trial period could decide the issue permanently. The camera is only allowed in the Supreme Court, and only one unit is allowed for all of the journalists to use the video feed form. Kathy Pickering, Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court, said the decision was an opinion order of the court justices, extending the experiment. "The experiment worked well for this year," she said, adding that she felt the renewal would be as congenial. John Edwards, news director of KTVX, Channel 4, added that his reporters were very happy about the decision. "All three major local stations worked very hard to make the experiment a success," Edwards said. When asked about potential problems with respect to objective defense, Edward said no problem existed of which he was aware. He added, "Utah is one of only a few states that do not allow camera coverage of court proceedings." He said he could see no examples of tv sensationalism or interference in due process. "It's like a security camera at a bank. Once the initial factor of the camera being present is over, it is hardly noticed." Edwards also said that the problem of obtrusiveness may have been noticeable ten years ago when you would have needed lights, electrical chords, huge awkward cameras and microphones, but the equipment is so sophisticated today that the small cameras used today are all that is necessary. Maggie St. Claire, president of Utah Headliners GroupSPJ (the Society of Professional Journalists) and affiliated with KSL TV Channel 5, said the SPJ is obviously elated by the justices' decision, and that the eventual goal is to allow camera coverage in all court rooms. The judges are going to use the new one-year extension to factor that decision, and the professional behavior exhibited by journalists and the impartiality of the proceedings would aid in their decision. Not completely in agreement with the court spokespersons and Channel 4 is L. G. Bingham, WSC administrative law judge and professor of criminal justice. Bingham said the success of the experiment would be determined by how the situation is handled. "As long as the coverage is general and complete, then it is OK," according to Bingham. However, he cautioned that the defendant or victim in sensational trials should not be shown by cameras. That could create a more sensitive situation than already exists, thereby biasing justice. Impartiality in proceedings is the ultimate goal, and nothing should alter that. Some cases, Bingham felt, are already so sensational, such as the Ronnie Lee Gardner case, that a camera wouldn't have any effect. He concluded that there is always a risk that law officers and court officials would become actors instead of court officials in front of the camera and that selective viewing should be avoided. Selective viewing is when the media "helps interpret long, boring court motions and stipulations by editing them out or interpreting them for the lay audience," and then you are left with a "seasoned event" rather than a judicial proceeding impartially held. Sociology professor and former pardons and corrections officer, L. Kay Gillespie, went further than Bingham. Gillespie said Y.z is "absolutely, unequivocally, totally against cameras in courts." He sa: ! that in his experience, people become performers in front of the camera, and that introduces an element that doesn't belong where justice is supposed to be conducted. "Justice becomes commercialized when put in front of the camera," he said.

Public Domain. Courtesy of University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University.

Full-Text

1N Thursday, November 19, 1987 Weber State College Vol. 48 No. 16 889t Til ImKt fc, VXJ- 1 100 YEARS ! 1 Harris computer to be replaced Harold Davis Asst. News Editor The Harris computer will be scrapped on December 31 of this year and replaced by the new VAX 8700. The new VAX system is replacing the Harris and the administration's DEC 20 system with a single mainframe computer. Eric Jacobsen, of Weber's Computing Services, says the replacement system cost, $426,400,.is being funded by the computer surcharge on student fees. The cost includes purchase of upgrades for the new system, compatible terminals, new VAX software, and personal computers for areas not supported by the VAX. Personnel needed to convert software and to train users is also included. The VAX "is going to be better than the Harris. It's already better than .the Harris." said Jacobsen. The VAX will support various functions of the computer science and computer information departments and the School of Technology. Statistics work for the Schools of Social Science and Natural Science, and all the administration's computer work will also be done on the VAX. "About 50 percent of the administration's work load is on the VAX currently." said Jacobsen. The rest of the load will be added in six to nine months. According to Jacobsen, this will leave Weber with only two mainframes on campus thus saving maintenance costs. The other mainframe is the Sperry system used by the library. , :4 l : . ' - - i . , J I ) , . r A collection of 30 plus head and shoulder mounts and other various artifacts for animal ecology education was donated to the college by William and Anne Dodgson, valued in excess of $200,000. (Signpost photo: Judd Bundy) Bill would limit grants to underclassmen, loans to government upperclassmen WASHINGTON, D.C. (CPS) -- If a bill introduced last week by an influential legislator from Michigan is passed by Congress, only freshmen and sophomores will be able to get Pell Grants. Under that same bill, only juniors and seniors would qualify for Guaranteed Student Loans in the future. Rep. Bill Ford (D-Mich.), an influential member of the House education committee, explained he thought the bill, introduced Nov. 3, would help minimize student loan defaults and help low-income students finance college. "The bill is an attempt to kill two birds with one stone," said Tom Wolanin, a Ford aide. "It deals with both the problems of equality and defaults." Ford's measure, if passed, would prohibit first-and second-year college students from receiving GSLs. (see GRANTS on page 2) News Opinion Letters Signature page 2 page4 page 5 page 6 Entertainment page 8 Sports page 9 Fashions for the future See page 8 r-isr j-'V - Wildcats trounce foe See page 10 T.V. cameras allowed in Utah Supreme Court Lanny Desmond Staff Reporter The Utah State Supreme Court has approved a one-year extension allowing tv cameras to cover proceedings. Rosemary Gacnik, spokeswoman for the State Court Administrators Office, said general consensus in the department and court was that the previous year trial period was not enough time to conclude the issue, hence the extension. Gacnik stated that the next year trial period could decide the issue permanently. The camera is only allowed in the Supreme Court, and only one unit is allowed for all of the journalists to use the video feed form. Kathy Pickering, Deputy Clerk of the Supreme Court, said the decision was an opinion order of the court justices, extending the experiment. "The experiment worked well for this year," she said, adding that she felt the renewal would be as congenial. John Edwards, news director of KTVX, Channel 4, added that his reporters were very happy about the decision. "All three major local stations worked very hard to make the experiment a success," Edwards said. When asked about potential problems with respect to objective defense, Edward said no problem existed of which he was aware. He added, "Utah is one of only a few states that do not allow camera coverage of court proceedings." He said he could see no examples of tv sensationalism or interference in due process. "It's like a security camera at a bank. Once the initial factor of the camera being present is over, it is hardly noticed." Edwards also said that the problem of obtrusiveness may have been noticeable ten years ago when you would have needed lights, electrical chords, huge awkward cameras and microphones, but the equipment is so sophisticated today that the small cameras used today are all that is necessary. Maggie St. Claire, president of Utah Headliners GroupSPJ (the Society of Professional Journalists) and affiliated with KSL TV Channel 5, said the SPJ is obviously elated by the justices' decision, and that the eventual goal is to allow camera coverage in all court rooms. The judges are going to use the new one-year extension to factor that decision, and the professional behavior exhibited by journalists and the impartiality of the proceedings would aid in their decision. Not completely in agreement with the court spokespersons and Channel 4 is L. G. Bingham, WSC administrative law judge and professor of criminal justice. Bingham said the success of the experiment would be determined by how the situation is handled. "As long as the coverage is general and complete, then it is OK," according to Bingham. However, he cautioned that the defendant or victim in sensational trials should not be shown by cameras. That could create a more sensitive situation than already exists, thereby biasing justice. Impartiality in proceedings is the ultimate goal, and nothing should alter that. Some cases, Bingham felt, are already so sensational, such as the Ronnie Lee Gardner case, that a camera wouldn't have any effect. He concluded that there is always a risk that law officers and court officials would become actors instead of court officials in front of the camera and that selective viewing should be avoided. Selective viewing is when the media "helps interpret long, boring court motions and stipulations by editing them out or interpreting them for the lay audience," and then you are left with a "seasoned event" rather than a judicial proceeding impartially held. Sociology professor and former pardons and corrections officer, L. Kay Gillespie, went further than Bingham. Gillespie said Y.z is "absolutely, unequivocally, totally against cameras in courts." He sa: ! that in his experience, people become performers in front of the camera, and that introduces an element that doesn't belong where justice is supposed to be conducted. "Justice becomes commercialized when put in front of the camera," he said.